[allaboutmojo]

I have a new 5504 and am having problems with using two inputs. I have regular cable from the wall going to ReplayTV RF Input and AUdio/Vidio (S) from my HD Motorola Digital Cable going to Line 2 Inout. I set everything up correctly and it sems to be downloading the guide but here is waht is happening:


1. It works fine when on Line 2 using digital box. IR Blaster has a delay but works OK.


2. When I switch to Cable/RF input it is still tyring to get signal from Cable Box because when box is Off I cannot change from current channel (no signal found).


3. When Digital box is on and I am on cable/wall/Rf input there is an even greater delay and screen flash of current channel before switching (which is uses Digital Box to do.


Any thoughts/ideas?


Thanks


Mark

 

[Ace987]

The channel delay is normal, it is probably somewhere between 3 and 7 seconds. The blue screen is also a normal thing, but as long as it's only in the first few seconds I wouldn't it too much.


Finally, and this is important, don't turn the cable box off. There is no need to turn it off since it uses just about the same power as in the off state. Also, the ReplayTV doesn't turn the box on when needed.

 

[Jeff D]

How are you switching to RF input instead of the line2 input? Did your RF channels get mapped to another channel range? Like 1000+? This happens for directv+RF users, I can only suspect the same would happen for another input and RF at the same time, conflicts can not exist so one set of channels has to be moved. You have to tune the correct one depending on what you want to do.


I'm still unsure why you'd want two inputs with the same channels, I know premiums from the decoder when needed and basic from RF, and the ability to watch premiums while recording basic from RF. I get that.

It just seems strange that you'd hardly ever use that (at least I don't, but I don't hardly watch anything live)

 

[MasterK]

I am not sure if you are doing something wrong or it did not get setup right. But it sounds like you have seperate problems.


I have exactly the same type of setup. Analog cable into the antenna, TW HD Cable box into Svideo input 2 on the replay.


The raply gives the video inputs priority over the antenna so The HD box gets channels 1-999, the antenna gets channels 1000-1099. All of these channels show up in the guide and there is no need to ever manuual change the input. Simply key in 1004 to get analog channel 4. Or 4 to get Digital channel 4. It is very easy and works well.


I am not sure abbout your problems and if they might be realted to a wiring issue. I have a very high quality cable splitter at the wall. With one end going into the Replay and another going into the cable box. I have never had any problems with this setup.


I am a little unclear about your wiring specifics from your post. If you have raw cable going into the replay the antenna input should not be affected by the box being on or off or anything else. That is what makes me think there is something wrong.

 

[allaboutmojo]

I cannot belive how helpful you guys are!!! I have everything hooked up and working correctly.


I have channels 1000+ which is my regular cable and 1-200+ which is my HD Cable Box just like you said. When I pick a reg channel range it does not chance cable box but if I pick from the 1-200+ range it changes channel.


The original reason I hooked up both inputs was so I could record regular channels and still be able to wathc HD Cable Box on TV. I also watch mostly recorded shows, except for some HD TV here and there so I did nto want to have to stop recordings just to check out HD HBO ro Discovery Channel. Make sense?


I do have follow up questions which I am sure you guys could anwer (especially MASTERK):


1. At this time I have HD Cable Box Comp. Out Directly to TV, S-Video to RPTV and S-Video from RPTV to TV. I might consider giving up the setup I have and eliminate reg cable to RPTV if I knew that running HD Cable Box through RPTV woudl not degrade my HD channels and then use the RPTV outputs to hook to TV.


2. If I have various recordings setup (some regular and some HD). Is there an easy way to tell is the current live recording is through the regular/HD signal without turning everything on, etc. I ask this because my family may turn on TV, set it ot HD input (on TV) then start changing HD Cable box channels without realizing the RPTV was recording something. This si the main reason I am thinking about running HD Cbale box through RPTV, so that this would be the only way yo watch HD Cbale and avoid cancelling a good recording.


3. If I recorded all my shows reg, digital, HD through the HD Cable box, woulf the recorded picture be better since some of them are "digital" through the box? Or woudl recording be about the same (except for HD).


Thanks gusy you have been a big big help


If you read this please respond quick, I am rewiring everything right now and waiting for your responses.


Mark

 

[gweempose]

I would keep it hooked up the way you have it, because it offers the most flexibility. This way you can watch something in HD live while the Replay records something else off the analog feed. I would normally keep the remote for the cable box hidden to avoid the problem you are talking about. It is only necessary when you want to watch live HD. And you will probably get a better picture by going through the cable box. In my experience the 5xxx series Replays don't have the best internal tuners and I almost always get a better picture from the line inputs. The biggest advantage of using the Replay's internal tuner is that you don't have to worry about the IR blaster screwing up.

 

[baeder]

Quote:

Originally posted by BigJDurango The original reason I hooked up both inputs was so I could record regular channels and still be able to wathc HD Cable Box on TV. 3. If I recorded all my shows reg, digital, HD through the HD Cable box, woulf the recorded picture be better since some of them are "digital" through the box? Or would recording be about the same (except for HD).

When you say "HD", if you mean High Definition, then the replay WILL make an adverse difference, since it is NOT going to get the HD signal (over the s-video). While it will "upconvert" to a 480P signal on it's own component outputs, thats not the same as recording in HD.


But, yes, the "quality" is about the same (if you have a good signal)...


But, for now, leave it as is (until you get a second unit...that way, you can have one unit do the cable box / IR Blaster stuff, and the other do the analog stuff...AND avoid all those nasty NBC timing offset issues ;-)

 

[MasterK]

Quote:

Originally posted by BigJDurango I do have follow up questions which I am sure you guys could anwer (especially MASTERK): 1. At this time I have HD Cable Box Comp. Out Directly to TV, S-Video to RPTV and S-Video from RPTV to TV. I might consider giving up the setup I have and eliminate reg cable to RPTV if I knew that running HD Cable Box through RPTV woudl not degrade my HD channels and then use the RPTV outputs to hook to TV.

No, keep the Analog into the cable box. The replay is not HD and there are other benefits. I record most shows off the analog feed into the replay. And then use the cable box to watch them in HD if I am there live. That way I never worry that messing with the cable box will result in a lost recordings. This offers maximum safety. Not to mention you can resord on your replay and watch something else on your cable box.

Quote:

2. If I have various recordings setup (some regular and some HD). Is there an easy way to tell is the current live recording is through the regular/HD signal without turning everything on, etc. I ask this because my family may turn on TV, set it ot HD input (on TV) then start changing HD Cable box channels without realizing the RPTV was recording something. This si the main reason I am thinking about running HD Cbale box through RPTV, so that this would be the only way yo watch HD Cbale and avoid cancelling a good recording.

My suggestion... Get rid of the family but seriously the rule in our house is that if the red light on the Replay is on only use the Replay. Watch wat is on or watch someting off the hard drive. That is just a dangerous area. In short answer to your question, NO. You must turn on the Replay and see what it is recording.

Quote:

3. If I recorded all my shows reg, digital, HD through the HD Cable box, woulf the recorded picture be better since some of them are "digital" through the box? Or woudl recording be about the same (except for HD).

Inn my experience the best quality comes from the analog cable. I know on the surface it does not make sense but you need to understand that to show HD conent through S-video the box downsamples everything. This adds a softer look to the picture most of the time. The only things I record in the downsampled HD are off the HD only channels, Primetime and regular cable I record from the analog feed.


Good Luck!

 

[allaboutmojo]

Thanks again for responding...I do have one last question (hopefully). You stated "I record most shows off the analog feed into the replay. And then use the cable box to watch them in HD if I am there live" This is exactly what I do/did before I hooked up an HD out to the replayTV.


You state "That way I never worry that messing with the cable box will result in a lost recordings." I assume this is not the case when you are recording something from HDBox? Your statement would only apply if you did not have HDBox hooked directly to TV...correct?


I already have the HDBox hooked directly to TV using comp output and replay hooked to seperate input on TV using S-Video. The only reason I added (and anyone would add) a line from HD Box to ReplayT V is to be able to record HD/Digital shows.


Is this correct? Was/Is this your goal and setup now?


Thanks

 

[jonn doe]

Also in reference to MasterK's suggestions which you have implemented successfully, you do not have to manually choose out of the Guide whether you want to select analog off RF or the cable box, because you can go into setup and add and subtract the channels that you want to show in the Guide, with all the analog you may record off in the 1000 numbers and the cable box with the sub 1000 numbers.

 

[MasterK]

Quote:

Originally posted by BigJDurango Thanks again for responding...I do have one last question (hopefully). You stated "I record most shows off the analog feed into the replay. And then use the cable box to watch them in HD if I am there live" This is exactly what I do/did before I hooked up an HD out to the replayTV. You state "That way I never worry that messing with the cable box will result in a lost recordings." I assume this is not the case when you are recording something from HDBox? Your statement would only apply if you did not have HDBox hooked directly to TV...correct? I already have the HDBox hooked directly to TV using comp output and replay hooked to seperate input on TV using S-Video. The only reason I added (and anyone would add) a line from HD Box to ReplayT V is to be able to record HD/Digital shows. Is this correct? Was/Is this your goal and setup now? Thanks

I have an HD cable box from Time Warner however only 10 channels are real HD and only 4 are HD all the time. When I am recording something that is really a true HD feed, I record it using the 1-999 section of the Replay. However many primetime shows and all basic cable are not true HD, so for all that I record from the analog feeds, 1000-1099. Basically I look at a show and determine if it is really an HD show. If not I prefer to use the Analog feed for all the reasons I talk about in my last post.


I hope that makes sense. Everyone's setup is different so you may choose to do things your own way. For my I find the best picture I get on not HD material is to let my TV handle the upconversion. It does a better job than the cable box. Your TV might be older or your situation different.

 

[Subrec]

I have the same setup as the original poster, Analog cable using the internal tuner, and a Digital cable on Input two of the Replay. By default, the digital cable box ends up at 1-999 and the analog at 1000+. Is there anyway to flip that around so that I don't have to explain to the family that channel 5 is no longer channel 5, but rather 1005?


I really only have the Digital cable box for PPV and the premium channels, so I'd rather not take the chance of a show not recording because the IR blaster didn't work, when the analog built in tuner is more than fine for me.

Obviously, I'd program out all but the channels that I want from the digital band so there were no duplicates between the two tuners.


I could have sworn I was able to do this with my Showstopper, but I can't for the life of me figure out how to do it on my 5000. Any help?

 

[Subrec]

top

 

[Ace987]

To answer your question Subrec:


short answer - No


Long answer - Maybe. With wIRNs you can build your own channel guide and do some amazing things. I'm sure this may be one of them, however I've never looking into that as a solution.